Air-lock for caissons



2 Sheets- Sheet 1 S. MATTSON. AIR LOCK FOR CAISSONS.

Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

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S. MATTSON.

AIR LOGK FOR GAISSONS.

Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

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UNITED STATES y PATENT GFFIOE.

SAMUEL MATrsON, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AIR-LOCK FOR CAISSONS.

SPECIFICATJDN forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,947, dated November16, 189'?. Application iiled February 9, 1897. Serial No. 622,699. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern/.- f p Be it known that I, SAMUEL MATTSON,of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Air-Locks for Caisi sons; and ldo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements inair-locks forl caissons.

In certain sections of the country there has of late been a great demandfor deep foundations in the erection of tall buildings in order toprovide for numerous small piers. An ordinary caisson is large and veryexpensive and costly in operation. I have found by actual practice thatsimple and economical means are required for excavating the soil andputting in concrete bedding and for allowing of the ready ingress andegress of workmen' without at the same time consuming much space.

It is the object of my invention to provide an air-lock possessing allthe requirements of the present demands, as above outlined.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view ofan air-lock constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4tis a sectional view of an auxiliary element. Fig. 5 is a detached Viewof a slight modification.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a cylindrical shaft, to theupper end of which is secured an enlarged cylindrical section or casingct, in the top and bottom of which latter are opposite Openings a" anda2, concentric withcylinder A. The top opening d is closed by adetachable cover B, through a stuffingbox b in the center of which ispassed the hoisting-rope b/ of a bucket. (Not shown.) For the bottomopening a2 a downwardlyopening gate b2 is provided.' After a bucket israised into casing a the gate b2, which had previously been open, isclosed.

C is a wheel mounted in' the upper end of hand holes.

an arm or bracket d,.which swivels on the hoisting-rope.

Vl) is a sliding door suspended by two arms e from rail-flange e' on theinterior of the casing 0 said arms having rollers e2 movable on saidiiange. This door is designed to cover an openin g e3 in the cylindricalcasing,throu gh which the workmen enter and leave the casing. It isnormally held firm to its seat over and inclosingsaid opening by thepressure within the cylinder. By mounting this door so that it can slideback and forth over and away from the opening economy in space isprovided and the door forms no obstruction, as it would if it openedinward.

In order to provide for the ascent and descent of the workmen in shaftA, I may form in one side of thelatter a series of spacedapart slots oropenings f, forming foot and these slots or openings, is secured acurved or bowed plate or casing F to prevent air from escaping by reasonof the formation of these slots or openings. It will be noted that theladder thus formed in no way constitutes any projection or obstructionin the shaft or line of passage of the bucket. However, other means maybe employed for ascending and descending in the shaft.

G is an inclined chute extending through one side of the casing d. Itsinner upper end is provided with a removable cover g, which is normallyheld down to its seat over the end of the chute by the confinedair-pressure Within the casing. At the lower end of the chute is a gateg', which is shown in Fig. l as consisting of a solid body movablevertically and capable of being elevated out of the way into anelongated extension g2 by means of a lever g3 and chain g4', the formerbeing fulcrumed to the outside of the casing. An air-pipe g opens intothe chute in line with the lower end thereof, longitudinally of the seatof the gate g', its object being to force away any dirt from said seat.A second air-pipe g5 opens into the chute near the upper end thereof forthe purpose of ejecting dirt from the bottom of the chute. In Fig. 5 Ihave shown this IOO . the chute.

outer gate as being hinged or pivoted at its upper end,- as at g. Inthis form a yoke 97, held to the gate by studs g8, has hooked ends gwforen gagin g hooks glattached to opposite sides of the chute. The gatelits against a rubber disk Q13 and is capable of adjustment, so as toinsure a iirm seat, by a screw gm, car; ried by the yoke.

In practice when the hoisting-bucket has been raised into the casing andthe cover g of the chute is removed, the gates b2 and g being firstclosed, the contents of the bucket are emptied into said chute, andafter the replacement of said cover the gate g is elevated, allowing theexcavated soil, &c., to fall from Thus it will be seen that the emptyingof the bucket is accomplished within the casing and withoutnecessitating the passage of a workman from the lock. In supplyingconcrete the cover B is removed and a cylindrical receptacle Hissubstituted. (See Fig. 4.) This receptacle extends down into the casingand is provided with upper and lower gates h and 7L. lVhen the lowergate is closed, the upper gate can be opened and the receptacle suppliedwith concrete, after which the upper gate is closed and the lower openedto permit the concret-e to pass down into the casing.

The advantages of my invention are apparent from the foregoing. It willbe seen that I have provided simple and highly-efficient means foraccomplishing all the objects hereinbefore mentioned.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that an air-lock constructedas herein described is inexpensive and durable and not liable to readilyget out of order.

Iv 'claim as my invention- 1. An air-lock for caissons having an openingin its top, and a wheel having a support pivotally mounted concentric tosaid opening, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An air-lock for caissons having an opening in its top, a stuffing-boxfitted in said opening, and a wheel having a support pivotally mountedconcentric to said stuffing-box, as and for the purpose stated.

3. An air-lock for caissons having an opening in its top,a stuffing-boxfitted in said opening, a wheel, and an arm or bracket thereforpivotally held at its lower end so as to be free to move concentricallyto said stuffing-box, substantially as set forth.

4. In an air-lock for caissons having an upper casing, an inclined chuteleading from said casing having closures for its ends, and

an air-pipe opening on line with the bottom of said chute at or near itsupper end, substantially as set forth. y

5. In an air-lock for caissons having an upper casing, a chute leadingtherefrom, a gate at the outer end of said chute, and an airpipe openinginto said chute so as to eject air over the lower seat of said gate,substantially as set forth.

6. In an air-lock for caissons having a casing, a chute leadingtherefrom having at its lower end an upper extension, averticallymovable gate at the lower end of said chute, a lever and achain connecting the latter to said gate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL MA'ITSON.

IVitnesses:

CH. LI'NDAU, RICHARD PIKE.

